Cooking for Thanksgivng With my Kids

Izzy cutting yams…

I love Thanksgiving. It’s always been my favorite holiday all my life, but it takes on even greater meaning the older my children get. I love cooking with my kids no matter what and they love to cook, but Thanksgiving is just something special.

I watched today as my son made Harvest Apple Pie. He pealed, cored and sliced all the apples just the way I did when I was his age. He followed my recipe, one I’ve adapted over the years, but which was always my gift to the family at Thanksgiving and occasionally if I was feeling generous randomly throughout the year.  He stirred and simmered the apples over stove, poured the bubbling mixture into his homemade pie crust and fluted the edges like a pro. I am so proud. Yes I’m raising a son who can dominate in football, bake a pie and do the tango with his sisters, don’t judge me!

All day long we baked pies. Thankful Pumpkin Pie… which turned Kanen into a CIA style body guard protecting it like it was The President at a parade of Republicans (don’t hate!). Didn’t work all that well as there are 3 distinct finger swipe marks in the finished product 🙁 Then came the one which is the most special to me. Sweet Bing Cherry Pie. I made this one as a little girl 9 years old or so…everyone loved it so much it became my trademark. Though looking back now, my whole wheat pie crust was so tough that you had to bite into it with the gusto of hard candy. Thank god the recipes have evolved a little. But the base flavors are still there, and my kitchen today was filled with their aromas.

Sweet Bing Cherry Pie 🙂

We made Cornbread, Apple Walnut Stuffing… much to my surprise Mira, my 4 year old took quite a fancy to it, as evident by the gigantic hole missing from half of the pan which greeted me after taking a shower… hey at least she likes it!

Izzy made the Cranberry sauce, with berries and fresh orange zest. All three of them picked the little tart fruit from the Pomegranate to mix in. They made sauces and dips, chopped vegetables and made flowers out of radishes.

Today was a great day. Capped off by the best little surprise treat. My sister coming from 7 hours away to hang out with us. It was perfect, I have two 4 year olds how also happen to be the best little masseuses in the world, so whats better then getting double foot massages at the end of a day like today by little loving hands.

I love my life.

Thanksgiving is a day to remember all the things we are grateful for. I am grateful for finally learning this year what it means to truly be GRATEFUL. For learning that in ALL THINGS we can find reason to show gratitude. That no mater how low you have fallen, or how dark you hole, there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for.

Kanen making apple pie

I’m also eternally grateful for what this year has meant to me as it relates to this blog. It’s difficult to put into words what it means to me that anyone takes the time to read anything I have to say. It’s humbling and it has caused me to grow and learn so much more then I could ever teach. It and YOU have been my family and support system…so I’m so Thankful for each of you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Videos of the kids cooking…

 

 

 

Sarah Centrella is the author of the book Hustle Believe Receive which teaches you how to apply the #HBRMethod to change your life and live your dream.

Follow on social media: Instagram | Twitter | Snapchat | Pinterest | YouTube |Periscope @sarahcentrella